Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-03
Tax.Gatherers and Taxpayers.
Louisville Courier-Journal.

Tax-Gatherers and Tax-Payers.
Louisville Courier-Joumal.
This nation is taxed one hundred
millions in excess of the needs of the
Government, while its expenditures are on
a most liberal scale.
Our standing army is an army OF pen
sioners, literally provided for.
The public debt represents the war ex-
penses of the past; it represents property
destroyed, ii is loss which can not be
redeemed 1t is debt which must be
paid. 1t is a sign of weakness. not Of
strength. 1t is curse, not blessing.
When we pay public debt created for
war purposes. we simply distribute the
loss over a long time and among a great
number of people, just as an insurance
company does after fire. But the prop
erty destroyed is not in this way recOv-
cred.
An organized government is an econ>
omical continuance; it exists to do what
the individual cannot do for himself.
II is, in one sense, an expense. but prop
erly controlled it protects the individual
and increases his use, his value, his
productive capacity in the community.
The expenses of government are met by
levy on each citizen. Each citizen is
compelled to set apart, out of his earn
ings, certain sum for the use of the
government.
This levy is called a tax. 1t is an eX,
action; a tribute from the citizen to the
Government. 1t takes from, it does not
add TO his wealth. II is a loss.
In enlightened communities where the
rulers are honest and intelligent, every
effort is made % reduce this levy to the
lowest possible point The smaller the
sum the government takes, the more does
each citizen have to aud to his capital or
to his comforts.
When it is possible in any nation safely
10 lessen this tribute, there should be
general rejoicing. Such a reduction in
creases the resources of the private citi-
zen; lessons his burdens; removes obsta>
Giles from his path; enlarges his free
dom.
The levy by the government should all
ways be limited to the necessities of the
government economically administered.
Wastefulness is crime the evil of which
is illimltable. A system of laws which
takes from the people sum in excess OF
an economical administration, is an evil
not to be submitted to tamely, for it is a
denial to the private citizen of the free
use of his own property. A tax imposed
for any other use than that of govern
70 Whap Horota.t 10
the service OF class, or of an individual
it is communism.
When the revenues of a government
exceed the necessities. the part of wisdom
is to reduce the taxes, and to abolish
those which directly or indirectly cost
the individual the most labor or self
denial.
Such an opportunity is seized by wise
statesmen and used to free the tram.
melted energies of the people.
In America a different idea prevails
Our halls are packed by the represen>
tatives of the tax gatherers, and not of
the taxpayers.
The theory which the gatherers urge is
that taxation creates wealth; that ex~
travaganCe is a virtue, that the common
people srow richer because of their ex>
actions Every attempt to reduce taxes
IS resisted. When these attempts can
no longer be resisted, these representa-
lives of the tax>gatherers try to retain
those that burden the people most heavi-
ly; those which are most destructive Of
their wealth; those which draw most
heavily on their energies.
Instead of relieving them of the taxes
on clothing, on shoes, on tools and ma
chiuery; instead of trying to cheaper for
them the processes of production and
transportation and the cost of their homes,
the tax-gathers demand free whisky, free
tobacco. free sugar. They do this because
nearly all the taxes collected on whisky,
tobacco and sugar go to the government,
while the other taxes are divided. the
smaller part going to the government and
the greater part to the capitalists
They insist that this is for the benefit
Of the lahoreT. They assume that the
more man works and the less he gets
the happier is he. What was formerly
considered a serious obstruction to ndl-
vidu4l happiness and national prosperity
IS now declared to be a marvellous foun~
tain Of wealth. A man is told that the
more he surrenders the more he has. He
is asked to accept this form of taxation
as miraculous conception; widow
cruise which is never TO fail. The alb
surdity of the idea is never for moment
admitted. Mr.. Blaine and Mr. Morrill,
and Mr. Sherman and Mr. Dawes, all de-
clare that the more man surrenders the
more be has. They insist that he is
warmer in one suit of clothes THAI he is
in two. They declare that cotton sheets
are more comfortable than wooden
blankets. They insist that it is more
profitable to sell bale of cotton for 81
tons Of pig iron than for ) tons. They
declare that it costs less to build d rail
road with steel rails at S37 than when
steel rails are at $50. They are serious
in all this and they impose on few peo>
pie, but a moments consideration of the
daily transactions of life, in which we
sell our labor and get in return food,
shelter and clothing, will show US that
these distinguished statesmen are no more
honest than when they sought TO steal
the vote of Louisiana for HAYES.